No Romance
by Kid Al
Summary: There was anything but romance between the two of them. / Alternatively, the relationship between Sarutobi Konohamaru and Hyuuga Hanabi over the span of eighteen years. Konohamaru-centric. KonoHana. Modern-day AU. Oneshot.


Disclaimer: I own nothing.

:::

.:romance:.

_n._ a strong, sometimes short-lived attachment, fascination or enthusiasm

_v_. to court or woo

:::

_There was no romance – only envy._

:::

"Tch."

The boy stuffed his hands into the pocket of his trousers. _Trousers_. He missed his bermuda shorts already. He may only be a child but Konohamaru was old enough to know that the whole formal event scene was not for him.

Konohamaru had his back against the wall, surveying the soiree with narrowed eyes. He had lost sight of his _sofu _– his grandfather – a while ago and that was fine by him. Sarutobi Hiruzen was one of the greatest men alive in Konohagakure and possibly even the entire Land of Fire; Konohamaru hadn't really expected to accompany his grandfather for the entire evening, anyway. It was always only a matter of time before his grandfather would be whisked away into a world of economics, politics and a bunch of other things that a ten-year-old didn't really care for.

If he had his way, Konohamaru wouldn't even be here at all.

They told him to leave the goggles his _nii-chan_ gave him at home and trade his usual get-up in for something more 'appropriate' for the occasion. He drew the line when they asked if he would remove his scarf for the evening. Konohamaru would never part with his scarf if he could help it and his grandfather understood. After all, the scarf was all the boy has of his parents. It only took a few words from his grandfather for Konohamaru to be able to keep his scarf on his being despite it being out of place with the rest of his attire.

He really wasn't a fan of such gatherings – and his petulance definitely showed through his disinterested posture and angry-looking eyes. It was boring here, with most of the attendees being a whole lot older than he was. The rare few children around were much too young for him to get along with. Nobody present was in his age group – except perhaps the guest of honour herself.

'Hanabi-san', they called her. It made Konohamaru snort. She was only eight years old, for goodness' sake! So what if she was named heir of the Hyuuga clan (for Konohagakure still recognised clans) and was having a shindig thrown in her honour to officially acknowledge her position? She was still a child, just like he was. It was unfair – really unfair – that the young Hyuuga girl was being addressed by name while he was stuck being called–

"Omago-sama," one of the other guests greeted the boy.

He nodded in acknowledgement though he did not bother hiding the disgruntled look on his face. Come on, he was named after his hometown, for crying out loud; it can't be too much of a challenge for them to remember his name.

Konohamaru hated it when he was addressed with regards to his grandfather. 'Honourable Grandson', they have taken to calling him. It was frustrating, to say the least. Every single time someone greeted him with the moniker, it only served to remind the boy that he was nobody; it just cemented the idea that he was only respected for his blood ties to his grandfather and not for his own merits.

One day, he promised; there will come a day that he will be great on his own accord and he'll make a name for himself.

"Sarutobi-san, I hope this evening hasn't been too much of a bore for you."

He snapped his head up. Before him was an eight-year-old, and he knew exactly who was she. Her grey eyes – a shade unique to the Hyuuga family – gave her away after all. Stood in front of Konohamaru was Hyuuga Hanabi, the heir to the esteemed Hyuuga family business.

All Konohamaru managed to do was shrug. He knew all too well from the thin line of her pursed lips that she probably thought that he was conceited. He didn't care, though.

He was much too jealous of the younger girl to give a damn about what she thought.

Konohamaru stared her down, and she returned the look with a glower of equal fervour. Both parties were unyielding for the longest time but she eventually turned away when a commotion began behind her. She left to see to it without a single word of farewell.

The boy chuckled to himself. So it seemed like the stink bomb had gone off pretty nicely.

There was no evidence that it was the youngest Sarutobi who had planted the prank item but his grandfather grounded him for a week nevertheless. He was alright with that; throwing a kink into the plans of Konohagakure's richest and wealthiest was worth it.

:::

_There was no romance – only company._

:::

He was twelve years old when his uncle died.

They hardly saw one another – Asuma and Konohamaru – but, hey, the man was still family. Nobody really knew but Konohamaru could relate to his _oji_; the younger son of Sarutobi Hiruzen was quite like him in some respects, and the man was nothing but kindly to his nephew.

It has been hinted at by his grandparents (and even his uncle himself) that Asuma was every bit as rambunctious and a trouble-maker that Konohamaru was. All sense of decorum and responsibility was left to Konohamaru's father, the eldest son and heir of the family. Where Konohamaru's father had to supress his mischievous nature, Asuma went all out.

Konohamaru managed to get a few good conversations with his uncle in before the man's passing. He knew that his _oji_ often felt like a disappointment to the family. As dense as Konohamaru was, the boy had recognise the cue to say a few good words about his uncle to cheer the man up. Those conversations strengthened the bonds between uncle and nephew.

Being as young as he was, it was difficult for Konohamaru to picture the trials and challenges that made Asuma, the boy much like Konohamaru himself, into Asuma, the man who had died selflessly – a hero. It scared the boy, the idea of growing up did.

So, here he was, dressed in black and every bit as solemn as the funeral service. He didn't cry like he did during his grandfather's passing. He didn't actually know if the emotional 'vacuum' he felt was a result of feeling too little or too much to the point of being numb. He was upset, that was for sure, but his feelings held traces of many other emotions – sadness, anger, shock and fear being the easiest to pick out. All of a sudden, it hit him that he felt very alone in the world.

All of a sudden, it hit Konohamaru that he was the last remaining male Sarutobi in the main family.

He didn't cry throughout the service – in fact, his face was a passive mask throughout the duration – but he was the one who stayed the longest.

It had been awhile since everybody left but Konohamaru was still seated on a rock staring at his uncle's grave marker, thinking about life in the wake of death.

Konohamaru knew that it was a fact of life that everybody died eventually. Heck, there have been enough deaths in his family to cement the idea in the preteen's head – but none quite hit him like Asuma's did.

His parents were gone long before he could remember them; all that remained were faceless memories, unanchored sensations and a blue scarf. When he thought about his parents, he could visualise blurred flashes of dark-haired people and, if he tried even harder, he might also recall what he assumed was the feeling of being held in his parents' arms. In spite of that, the fact was that they passed on before he could develop any real emotional attachment to them. They were gone and that was just a fact the boy has to live with.

His grandfather was old, so he sort of saw it coming despite dreading the thought of it. In Konohamaru's eyes, Hiruzen was a strong man. He was calm, wise, and _there_. The old man was there when Konohamaru needed him, and he was still there when Konohamaru (foolishly) wished he wasn't. The boy truly did not grasp the extent of the blessing he had received until his _sofu_ was snatched away from him in the blink of an eye. Konohamaru hadn't been prepared to lose his grandfather, having taken for granted his grandfather's unwavering presence, but he had come to accept it. Somehow, it was easier to accept the fact that the elderly would not be with us forever.

Asuma's death, however, was like a punch to the gut.

His uncle was arguably young. The man had a girlfriend and a child on the way when he was so abruptly taken away from the world. It just made death seem so sudden. The thought of dying had become very real to Konohamaru the moment he was told the news. It was also incredibly unfair in Konohamaru's eyes. For goodness' sake, the man was just about to settle down and have a family! In one of their little conversations, the man had told Konohamaru that he was planning to propose sometime soon – all Asuma's plans were cut short when the robber turned a gun on a woman and child during a bank heist, and Asuma took it upon himself to try and wrestle the gun away from the offender.

Konohamaru just stayed and thought, occasionally nodding to the people who passed him their condolences as they trickled away. Eventually, even Kurenai left. He was alone with his thoughts.

Or so he thought.

Her presence was unfamiliar to him. He spared her just a glance before returning to his meditations. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Hyuuga Hanabi taking a seat nearby. He half-expected the girl to say something to him but she didn't. She just sat in the silence with him.

He would never admit it but her presence made him feel just a tiny bit less lonely.

It was when she got up when he did that Konohamaru realised that she had been providing him company the entire while.

"Why?" he croaked. His voice was a little hoarse from staying quiet throughout most of the day.

"I could have used someone by my side when my mother died but no one came by. I just thought you might need the same."

That was right. The young Hyuuga was also familiar with the concept of losing someone. The girl might have been perhaps four or so when her mother passed on…

Konohamaru's eyes widened. Was it even possible for someone to be so emotionally mature at such a young age?

"Ne, Hanabi… Thank you."

It was rather unfortunate that he had the opportunity to return the favour all too soon.

:::

_There was no romance – only partnership._

:::

"I was under the impression that formal events weren't your scene."

He turned around to find a face that was sort of familiar. The young lady that approached him was familiar, yes, but he couldn't quite recognise her. At the same time, a name seemed to be skirting around the edges of his mind but he couldn't quite summon it to the forefront of his memory.

She looked to be well into her teenage years and was definitely a looker. With her dark hair, fair skin and svelte build, she was the ideal picture of a young Japanese woman. It was not until he noticed her grey eyes that something clicked in Konohamaru's head.

"Ah! You're Hinata-neechan's sister!" he exclaimed, more to himself than the girl.

She couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Well, that's a refreshing title."

Konohamaru could feel the heat crawl right up to the tips of his ears at the faux pas he had just made. He mentally berated himself; he had just addressed the heir of the Hyuuga clan with regards to her sister.

"I haven't seen you in a while, Konohamaru-san," said Hanabi. "The last time we met, I was just a little bit taller than you were."

Her words were definitely true. He was fourteen then and she was twelve. Konohamaru didn't quite hit his growth spurt until at least a year after they last saw one another. While she might have been an inch or two taller than he was back then, the top of her head was now barely the same level as the lobe of his ear. Now, Konohamaru wasn't particularly tall – it was just that Hanabi was built even more petite than her demure sister. He grinned, fully aware that he was grinning _down_ at her.

"That is true," he agreed. "How have you been, Hanabi-san?"

"I didn't peg you as one for honorifics."

"You didn't peg me as one to attend events like this one, either."

"Touché."

Konohamaru laughed and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his slacks.

"Well, actually, you're right on both accounts. You won't tell on me if I ditched the honorifics, right?"

The younger of the two shook her head. He grinned and she smiled in return. While they weren't exactly friends, per se, they had long since started being on good terms with each other. After all, it was difficult to hold contempt for someone who had been there when one needed somebody – _anybody_ – to stick around.

As to why he started attending these events again, it was simply because they were now part of his responsibilities. Having turned eighteen late last year, he assumed the position of the head of the Sarutobi clan, although the 'clan' was small enough to be considered just another family these days.

The young man confessed, "To be honest, I sort of find the whole thing kind of stifling."

"Are you sure it's not because of your scarf, Konohamaru-san?" was her quick-witted reply.

Konohamaru shook his head. He would never have guessed that the Hyuuga heiress has a sense of humour (albeit a rather dry one). Instead, he asked her to drop the honorifics she had clipped to his name as well.

They talked a little. Well, actually, they talked a fair bit. She had been studying abroad for the last couple of years and it gave her quite an interesting insight on things. She laughed outright when he mentioned that he had been working in construction for the last two years – him, the head of the family who founded one of the biggest corporations in Konohagakure.

Konohamaru shrugged it off good-naturedly but he decided that he sort of liked her laugh. It wasn't a laugh that was for courtesy sake; he caught the glimmer of mirth in her eyes. It was refreshing to find even a grain of anything genuine around here; people always got so caught up with their actions when they tried to expand their social network.

"Well, I suppose I should head back in," Hanabi finally said. "That's as much air as I can get away with tonight; father will be wondering where I am. It was fun to talk to you."

"It's really nice talking to you, too, but I can't help but think you came out here for a reason besides striking up conversation."

She raised an eyebrow at him, saying, "There are other reasons for people to attend these things besides forging connections."

Call him slow but it took Konohamaru a good while before he could grasp what she meant. Before he could stop himself, he pointed out that there was no one around that was remotely in their age group besides the two of them. She was quick to agree; other than Konohamaru, the young men here were at least six years older or younger than she was.

"You got hit on by a ten-year-old?" he mustered through his sniggering. She swatted his arm in response.

Hanabi was about to leave when he offered her his arm. To his surprise, the younger teen took it. She rested her hand in the crook of his elbow with practiced ease and half-led him back into the building. For the rest of the evening, Hanabi helped point out who's who at the party and the persons of interest present. It was useful stuff that she was telling him and he was an attentive student, being pretty certain that it would help him along his way eventually.

In retrospect, the evening wasn't too bad. After all, he had been smiling, and Sarutobi Konohamaru never smiled – he only ever grinned.

:::

_There was no romance – only attraction._

:::

He has been on the lookout for her the entire evening. Ever since that party two years ago, Konohamaru has never attended any event without her company. It was a silent agreement between them and a force of habit. After all, both of them had something to gain; she would be free from having to entertain those trying to court her, and he had someone who was more familiar with such events to guide him along.

This evening, however, the grey-eyed young woman succeeded in making herself scarce. Konohamaru was not surprised; he had reckoned she would be busy with her sister's wedding.

It was at the dinner reception when her lithe form sashayed past him. His tongue darted out to lick at his suddenly-dry lips. Damn.

Somewhere along the lines of the last two years, Konohamaru had become _very_ aware that the younger of Hiashi's two daughters was absolutely _gorgeous_. Hanabi herself thought Hinata was the beautiful one (and Hinata was indeed beautiful), pointing out that Hinata took after their mother more than she did. While Konohamaru couldn't argue against that point (for it was true), he would like to beg to differ. Hinata was lovely with her gentle features and soft-spoken personality but he found Hanabi's slightly sharper features and wit far more interesting.

And like every other man his age, he couldn't help but notice that the Hyuuga women were blessed with bodies that could make any male weak in the knees.

The off-limits sign that he had mentally plastered to Hanabi's back had begun peeling away little by little quite a while ago, and it just about dropped off after her eighteenth birthday. Konohamaru couldn't say if he has feelings for the girl but he would grudgingly admit that he was at least a little attracted to her.

The twenty-year-old was just about to avert his gaze when she paused for a moment, sending him a covert smirk. His jaw dropped for the smallest amount of time before he fixed a mischievous grin on his face. He wanted in on her game.

"Wasn't that subtle," Konohamaru commented when he joined her. "What are you up to?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

She looked up at him through her eyelashes, looking every bit an innocent young woman. Konohamaru had to bite back a laugh and he swore the corner of her lips quirked upwards for a moment. Beneath the mature and disciplined exterior, Hanabi was just as much of a troublemaker as he was, and she was even better at getting away with it.

"Don't give me that nonsense," he said, pretending to be stern as he did.

She laughed, "I'm not up to anything – honest. I care too much for my sister to even _think_ of trying anything on her wedding."

"So what was with that look you just gave me?"

"Well, I had to get you out here somehow."

"Missed my company?" he teased. She scoffed and rolled her eyes, elbowing him gently in the side.

Music filtered out from the main building, filling the silence between them. He doesn't think such an uncomfortable silence has ever passed between them. A little desperate to break it, he asked if she would like to dance.

"I thought you said you don't dance."

"Well, I didn't say I couldn't. I'm not spectacular at it or anything but I get by decently. So, would you?"

"Just because you can dance doesn't mean I would want to dance with you."

He was just about to retort when a voice behind him sounded.

"And they said _I_ was stubborn."

Konohamaru turned around to find Shikamaru sauntering up the gazebo steps. He threw a smirk in the direction at the young Sarutobi. Konohamaru returned the look with a glare.

"Nara-san," Hanabi greeted, polite as ever. "I see that you're out taking a stroll."

Shikamaru shrugged, "The troublesome woman is in there making conversation and I'd rather not stick around. I didn't expect to find the two of you here, though."

"So you thought you'd drop by to greet us in an odd manner rather than just walking away," said Konohamaru.

"Well, not quite. I thought I'd let Hyuuga-san know that Hinata is looking for her," Shikamaru relayed the message.

To Konohamaru, the laidback man said, "And be thankful that I was the one who came by. If it was Naruto who came by, you'd have a hard time getting him to shut up. He already thinks there's something going on between the two of you."

Once Shikamaru was done with the message, he left after briefly nodding in Hanabi's direction. Konohamaru let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding.

"I swear that Naruto-niichan is a bigger gossip than any woman in Konohagakure."

He smiled when his blurt made her laugh.

"Careful, Sarutobi. He'll give you hell if he heard you say that."

"I've said worse things to his face."

Once again, the odd pause was back.

"I suppose you should go look for your sister."

"I suppose I should. Would you be out here for a bit more?"

"I think so. If what Shikamaru said was true, _nii-chan_ will give me shit if I walked in with you – and he can be relentless."

Hanabi nodded her understanding.

"What an idea he's got there."

"He can be full of rubbish, capable CEO or not. Guess I'll catch up with you later, Hanabi."

One moment had Hanabi turning to leave – and the next, she was standing lightly on his feet with her arms around his neck and his hands were on her waist. Neither one of the two could remember who was it that kissed the other but their lips had definitely met.

And it didn't quite stop at one kiss either.

When they pulled away, her hands were tangled in his dark hair. He had her backed against a pillar with her legs wrapped around his waist. He slowly lowered her to the ground.

Konohamaru chuckled lowly as he ran a hand through his hair, saying: Talk about sexual tension. I did _not_ see that coming."

"Neither did I," she admitted, fixing her dress that had rode up to the middle of her thigh.

They stared at one another for a moment, as if trying to figure out the other's thoughts, before bursting out in laughter.

"It's so weird that this isn't awkward," said Konohamaru in between laughs. "You don't find it awkward, right?"

She shook her head, still laughing. "Not in the least."

When they both had calmed down, he tilted his head towards the building, reminding Hanabi that her sister was still waiting for her. Getting the message, the young Hyuuga finally left.

Konohamaru leaned against the pillar of the gazebo, watching the girl leave.

"Wow," he sighed to himself.

:::

_There was no romance – only complexities._

:::

Most of the people in Konohagakure seemed to think that the 24-year-old head of the Sarutobi family was dating the 22-year-old Hyuuga heiress.

The pair in question was quick to deny such allegations.

He would have to be actively courting her for them to be dating – and he wasn't. They weren't dating, per se; they just happened to see a lot of each other. Where did such a preposterous idea come from?

Well, yes, he has dinner with her every other day – but that was only because they worked late hours most nights and neither wanted to have dinner alone.

Well, yes, she moved into his apartment – but that was only because his apartment was closer to her office and he was looking for a new housemate anyway after the last one left.

Well, yes, he does occasionally fall asleep to her even breathing and wake up to a running shower – but that was only because their jobs were taxing and they often found themselves falling asleep at the dining table amidst their paperwork.

Well, yes, they haven't dated anyone seriously for the past couple of years – but that was only because she was busy being a young business icon and he just couldn't be bothered with the dating scene.

(And, yes, they have had sex – but they were both mature, consenting adults and that was all there was to it: just sex… right?)

They were at dinner, engaged in idle chitchat after a long day at the office, when the question tumbled off Konohamaru's lips:

"Have you ever thought about getting married?"

Hanabi quirked an eyebrow at the abrupt question but she replied nonetheless. "Yes."

"Do you want to get married?"

"To you? No."

Ouch. Konohamaru nodded and went back to eating his noodles. It felt as if an eternity of silence had passed before he broke it, asking:

"Why not?"

He flinched at the tone of his voice. Konohamaru had meant for it to come across casually but he could still detect the tiniest bit of hurt in his voice. He glanced at the brunette seated across him and was relieved to find that she was too caught up peering into the depths of her soup to have detected it.

Hanabi went on to explain that a formal relationship between the two of them would be complicated. Being the heir of the Hyuuga clan, she could ask almost any other man to marry into her family and adopt her last name. Konohamaru was an exception. The Sarutobi name still held greater weight in Konohagakure than the Hyuuga name did and she couldn't possibly ask him to marry into the Hyuuga clan when he was the last male Sarutobi left.

Even if they had the family names sorted out, there was still the matter of their businesses. The two of them held high-ranking positions in some of the largest companies around. Their competitors might take their marriage to symbolise a merger – or collusion, at the very least – between the two firms. While the companies they belong to might be large, they would still buckle if the other oligopolies united against them.

She went on to point out a few other things but Konohamaru couldn't quite remain focused after what he would consider a rejection. Although Hanabi's rational thinking skills were what made her successful and kept him out of trouble, he was a bit frustrated over how _logical_ she was being about the whole thing. While Konohamaru was generally impulsive with a rare thinking streak, Hanabi was very sensible with occasional moments of spontaneity; they balanced each other out but these characteristics could trigger a row once in a while.

They eventually paid the bill, left for the apartment, and did as much work as they can before turning in for the night. Konohamaru was pretty sure that he would never bring up the idea of marriage ever again.

Three months later found Hanabi at the dining table. Papers, files and folders were strewn across the surface. She had paused her furious typing on her laptop to take a long drink from her (third) mug of coffee when he ambled by, wiping sleep from his eyes. Konohamaru heard her sigh as he slid into the seat next to her.

It's three a.m. and his mind wasn't working at 100 per cent. By force of habit, he wrapped an arm around her and Hanabi sank into his side. He pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Long day?" he asked sympathetically as his thumb rubbed circles into the back of her hand. She nodded in response.

Hanabi was a disciplined worker and allowed herself to indulge in a two minute break before returning to her work. Konohamaru resigned himself to just sitting there in her company.

His question came out of the blue: "Will you marry me?"

Very much like the man himself, the proposal did not beat around the bush nor did it have frills. There wasn't even a ring, and he didn't even get down on bended knee. There was only a young man – without his blue scarf, for once – and his earnest, dark eyes. He watched, hopeful, as emotions flit across her aristocratic features. Hanabi eventually settled on an exasperated look.

"We've talked about this. It's too complicated–"

"I know," said Konohamaru, cutting right through what he knew was the beginning of her ramble. "And I'm okay with that – with it being complicated, I mean. We're solution providers, for goodness' sake; we'll work our way around it."

"Really?"

"Yeah. So, what do you say?"

Konohamaru can't a recall a time when he had been happier than when she rewarded him with a nod, a smile on her face despite the sleep deprivation.

"Okay," she said.

"Okay," he echoed, planting a kiss on her cheek.

:::

_There is no romance – just love._

:::

Konohamaru leaned against the doorway, his arms folded loosely over his chest. At twenty-eight years old, he had come further than he could ever have imagined back when he was ten. When he thought about it, he had been such an angry little boy. That little boy never would have expected to grow up feeling so contented. Heck, he thought that he would have died long before his twenty-fifth birthday given his love for being disruptive.

"You know, the Hyuuga elders are beginning to think that you weren't serious about your deal."

The dark-haired male raised his eyebrows at the approaching blond. Naruto only grinned in response.

"Which one are you talking about?"

"The one that convinced them to let you marry her; the one in which you promised that your firstborn would be a Hyuuga."

"Oh."

Konohamaru allowed himself a small sigh. Sure, he was contented with his life but dealing with the Hyuuga elders was always a hassle – and he had been the one who thought that Hanabi was exaggerating when she complained about them.

"Come off it," Konohamaru muttered. "I've been married for just a little more than two years."

Naruto laughed and slapped the Sarutobi on his back.

"What an innocent kid," Naruto chuckled. "They expected you to have two by the end of three years."

"Well, there's nothing that they can do about that. We'll have kids when we're ready."

Truth be told, he had been watching Hanabi play with Hinata's children. They used to hang out with Konohamaru's cousin together (because Konohamaru had been very adamant on being involved in his cousin's life); they could handle children. What he didn't know was if they could handle _babies_.

Hanabi was busy entertaining Hinata's toddler son while the elder sister fed her infant daughter a bottle. The two sisters chatted with each other as they dealt with the young ones. For someone described as being indifferent and calculating in the business world, Konohamaru couldn't think of Hanabi being anything but warm and caring when she interacted with her nephew and niece.

"You have this really goofy smile on your face," Naruto pointed out, breaking the spell. "She's making you fall in love with her all over again, isn't she?"

"You would know, wouldn't you?" Konohamaru shot at the blond. It was a half-assed comeback but it was something.

The two men just watched the scene play out before them. The little boy would roll a car around on the floor and Hanabi would send another car rolling. The boy would then abandon the car he had been playing with in favour of chasing the one that had just went by. This continued for a while before the child tired out and plopped himself down on his aunt's lap, sucking his thumb and rolling one of the toy cars on his knee.

"What's it like being a father?"

Konohamaru had asked the question in a voice barely above a whisper. Naruto nearly missed it.

"Well, it changes people."

"Go figure."

"I'm being serious here. Can you imagine being responsible for someone and their future? It's kind of intimidating at times."

"I can imagine."

Konohamaru was quiet for a little bit, fidgeting with the wedding band he wore on a chain around his neck, before asking, "Do you ever worry about screwing up?"

"Every day," Naruto admitted. "I mean, there have been some amazing father figures in my life – your grandfather included – but I never actually met my old man."

The younger male nodded in understanding, clapping the blond on the shoulder. "You're doing fine, bro."

"Why are you so full of questions today, anyway?"

The dark-haired man shrugged. "I… I'm just curious, I guess."

With that, the Sarutobi finally left his perch and sat on the ground beside his wife. He took the little boy from Hanabi's arms when the toddler reached out to him. Excited by the sight of his uncle, the boy forgot all about his sleepiness and instigated a wrestling match. Konohamaru played along, growling playfully and making the little one squeal, but he was careful. He only ever used one arm when 'sparring' with his nephew.

His other hand had its fingers entwined with the fingers of the girl he used to be envious of when he was ten. What a long way they have come.

There never was a romance between them throughout the journey – but there was love, and maybe that was all that mattered.

:::

.:love:.

_n._ a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person

_v_. to need or require

:::

End.

:::


End file.
